Specialist Behavioural Unit
The Specialist Behavioural Unit (SBU) is a unit of the Territorial Police Force tasked with dealing with mentally ill criminals and victims of crime. Despite what the name may suggest, the SBU is not a behavioural analysis or profiling unit, nor are they an intelligence unit. Formation The Specialist Behavioural Unit formed after the dissolution of the Mental Health Unit. The MHU was scrapped due to high expectations that they didn't or couldn't meet. In order to give the SBU a true meaning in the police force, they were given far more training and funding than their predecessors. In addition, they were given more powers so that they could do what they needed, as well as connections to mental health services and medical facilities. The unit consists of normal TPF officers who volunteered to receive extra specialist training in conflict resolution and mental health conditions. Since nearly all of the officers who were part of the preceding unit had left the TPF, none of the SBU officers had prior experience in mental health. Shortly after they were formed, they attained the nickname "The 10-96 Squad", after the American police 10-code for mental subject. They don't currently possess their own logo or crest, so they simply continue to use the TPF shield. Work The SBU are often dispatched to schools and colleges around Manchester, since many students suffer from mental illnesses or complications. Often they must deal with suicidal and, less often, homicidal teenagers. Despite being fully trained and equipped with firearms, they must limit the use of them to ensure the safety and comfort of their subjects. The unit also control and administrate the Suicide Watch List of the TPF, however, they are not the only unit to add or use it's information. They often have to deal with criminals who are attempting to engage in suicide by cop. In these instances, they will attempt to talk the suspect into disarming themselves while also ensuring the safety of all engaging officers. When an SBU member is negotiating with a suicidal suspect, all other officers must wait for them to finish or for their Captain to issue an urgent order. If the SBU cannot peacefully resolve the issue, they will call for the suspect to be taken down without lethal force, typically by the use of rubber bullets or tranquilizer darts. Due to their type of work, they often work very closely with local health organisations and hospitals, as well as other specialist units of the Territorial Police Force, such as the Non-Lethal Response Unit (NLRU) and the Criminal Investigative Department (CID). They have a high level of clearance in most Manchester hospitals so that they can access critical facilities for victims and suspects The behaviour and conduct of all members of the unit is monitored closely by higher-ups in the TPF so that they never act negatively with their position of power or influence over citizens and mental patients. Early in the life of the SBU, an initiative began in an attempt to inform young people in Manchester about mental health, its affects and the people who can help. However, since most of the officers in the unit weren't very good at public speaking or were simply too busy with their jobs. After some discussions, the task was handed over to the NHS and Healthy Minds as they had better facilities and speakers. Notable Operations In 2015, the Specialist Behavioural Unit engaged with their youngest victim to date, a 15 year old who suffered from Generalized Anxiety Disorder which had been aggravated by recent stress. Due to her situation she was reportedly on the brink of suicide, however, she was missing on the school premises. During a clearance of the entire school, the unit discovered her hiding in a store room close to the entrance of the building. According to reports, she was "rocking back and forth in the corner of the dark room, uttering the phrase Make it stop, make the voices stop. At first, the unit feared she may also have schizophrenic traits that caused her to hear voices, though it was later revealed that she was referring to the voices frantically shouting her name in the search for her. Since at this time, the SBU was relatively young and didn't have many officers, PC Katie Winters was in charge of calming down the victim since she was a first responder. Over the course of 15 minutes, Winters managed to calm the girl down and coax her out of the store room and into an awaiting police vehicle outside. She was then taken to Prestwich Psychiatric Hospital where she received treatment. In 2017, the SBU came into the public eye after intercepting suicide attempts of 12 high school students on the roof of a local school. They were there in protest of a fellow student having been expelled after rebelling against a corrupt teacher. Though the teacher had been dismissed from the school, the student hadn't been allowed to return, so the 12 students threatened to jump from the three-story building. When a 999 call was received from the school reception, the Greater Manchester Police called upon the Territorial Police Force who dispatched the Specialist Behavioural Unit along with a few members of the Non-Lethal Response Unit. By the end of the confrontation, the officers had come to an agreement with the students (whom they were contacting via a wireless phone) which stated that the student could return, the teacher would be arrested and for them to act like the situation had never happened. Equipment The Specialist Behavioural Unit use the majority of weapons and vehicles as other units in the Territorial Police Force. However, they do possess more non-lethal weapons than other units. Weapons * SMGL57-NL * ARWEN 37 Non-Lethal Grenade Launcher * X-26 Taser * Taser XREP Shotgun * FN Five-SeveN Vehicles The SBU typically use any cars that are available or they are currently driving at the time of a call. In high-risk operations, such as when a subject is moments away from taking their own life, they may use the Reaper Unit's McLaren P1. Members